Research Support

The library should be should be a student's first point of contact for questions about locating books, finding articles on a specific topic, or using electronic resources. We have online guides to help you get started with your research, and our Educational Resource Specialist is available to consult with you at every stage of the research process. You can schedule an appointment, drop-in, e-mail, or call her with your questions. She is also available for customized classroom instruction.

Wikipedia

Google Scholar

EBSCO Discovery Service

Credo

Opposing Viewpoints in Context

The CRAP Test

The Internet is an amazing and almost limitless source of information, but it can also present problems and challenges. How do you know the websites you're using for your college research are quality sites and not bogus, incomplete, or out of date? The worth of your final research paper or project is closely related to the quality of the sources you choose to use. Taking the time to apply the CRAP Test is an excellent way to be sure you're using quality websites. Ask yourself the following questions about each website you're considering:

Currency

How recent is the information?

Can you locate a date when the page(s) were written/created/updated?

Does the website appear to update automatically (this could mean no one is actually looking at it)?

Based in your topic, is it current enough?

Reliability

What kind of information is included in the website?

Based on your other research, is it accurate? ...complete?

Is the content primarily fact, or opinion?

Is the information balanced, or biased?

Does the author provide references for quotations and data?

If there are links, do they work?

Authority

Can you determine who the author/creator is?

Is there a way to contact them?

What are their credentials (education, affiliation, experience, etc.)?

Is there evidence they're experts on the subject?

Who is the publisher or sponsor of the site?

Is this publisher/sponsor reputable?

Purpose / Point of View

What's the intent of the website (to persuade, to sell you something, etc.)?

What is the domain (.edu, .org, .com, etc.)? How might that influence the purpose/point of view?

Are there ads on the website? How do they relate to the topic being covered (e.g., an ad for ammuntion next to an article about firearms legislation)?